Results update, September 2017

Ongoing ethnozoning work

Ethnozoning

The completion of the Ethnozoning map of the newly identified Kaxuyana, Tunayana territory was a major achievement. The Ethnozoning exercise is a critical component of the development of a full management plan under Brazil’s National Policy for Indigenous Environmental and Territorial Management Policy, and includes the people’s perception of their land – their cultural sites, their hunting spots, their historical sites and more.

The ethnozoning map and plan comes on top of the original protection plan and diagnostic survey developed in previous years with project support. Under the Etnhoznoning map, large areas have been set aside for complete protection areas, off limits even to indigenous hunting and fishing. Other areas are only to be accessed during specific festival and cultural celebrations while remaining off limits during most of the year. Additionally the communities highlighted sacred and culturally sensitive sites that will need specific protections.

Indigenous Vigilance Expeditions

Another key result of the work supported by the project was the identification by indigenous park guards of a recently abandoned gold mine site in the neighboring protected area. These illegal gold mine sites are critical threats to the entire region as they attract further invasions by gold miners.

Chiefs attending the workshop

In other cases in the past, gold mines sites such as this one became home to hundreds of wildcat gold miners who could only be removed with support of the Brazilian Federal Police and military. The indigenous park guards reported their finds to the authorities which sparked an investigation by the regional Brazilian district attorney in Santarem who worked with the Federal Police and FUNAI to counter this threat. The GPS coordinates, accompanying map and photographic evidence collected by the indigenous park guards has become a crucial component of this investigation which is on-going.